Rio Police Raid Kills 132 in Brazil's Deadliest Operation Targeting Drug Gang

A massive police raid in Rio de Janeiro's favelas, targeting the Comando Vermelho criminal organization, resulted in at least 132 deaths, making it the deadliest police operation in Brazil's history. The operation involved around 2,500 officers, helicopters, armored vehicles, and demolition machines, and was planned over several months with the goal of arresting gang members. The raid sparked intense firefights, with suspects reportedly using drones armed with grenades, and residents later lined streets with dozens of bodies for identification. The Rio state government and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed shock at the high death toll and the lack of federal government awareness of the operation. Authorities promised a full investigation into the deaths, including those of four police officers, while civil society groups and the UN Human Rights office called for urgent scrutiny of the incident. The raid occurred days ahead of major global climate events in Rio, though officials denied any connection to the upcoming United Nations COP30 summit and related gatherings.